Fence-building tool



(No Model.)

' SI WI FENCE BUILDING TOOL.

.No. 542,827. Patented July 16, 1895;

Samue L WHZ; 7132?,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'SAMUEL W. HORST, OF HUMMELSTOWN, PEN NSY LVAN IA:

FENCE-BUILDING Tool...

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,827, dated July 18, 1895.

7 Application filed November 24, 1894. Serial N 529,8'70- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL W. HORST, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hummelstown, in the county of Dauphin andState for securing pickets or stays to the runners of a wire fence, said tool being adapted for use in forming the connection when a tie-wire is employed or when the connection is formed by means of a'tongue struck up fromthe stay or picket.

Further objects and advantages of this in vention will appear in the following description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a view of a section of a fence in the process of construction, showing the tool embodying my invention applied in the operative position to twist a tie-wire around a runner of a fence, Fig.

2 is a similar view showing the use of this tool when the connection between the picket or stay and the runner is formed by means of a tongue struck up from the said picket or stay. Fig. 3 is a detail view, in perspective, of the improved tool. Fig. 4 is an edge view of the same.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the draw- 1ngs.

1 designates the body portion or handle of thetool, which is provided at one end with a central engaging-hook 2, contracted at itsopen side or mouth to a width less than the diameter of the runner which it is adapted to engage, whereby when sprung into place upon said runner it is held from accidental displacement during the operation of fastening the tie-wire. The hook 2 is of less width than the body portion or handle 1, thereby forming offsets 3 upon opposite sides of the hook, and these offsets are struck up to form lateral engaging-webs 4, which, as shown in Fig. 1, are designed to engage the loose end of a tie-wire and hold the same as the tool is turned around the runner, the hook acting as a fulcrum. The form of tie with which this portion of the device is adapted to be used consists of a wire 5, which is usually lighter than the runner 6, said wire 5 being bent upon itself at its center to form a loop or eye 7, which is passed through the perforation 8 in the stay or picket9 and is engaged with the runner. After thus arranging the parts the loose ends of the tie-wire 5 are twisted around the runner upon opposite sides of the stay or picket by means of the device justdescribed. \Vhen, however, the stay or picket is designed to be attached to the runner by means of an upstruck tongue l0, as shown in Fig. 2, the opposite end of the inclosed ool must be employed, the construction of such opposite end being as follows: Insteadof a central hook, twin hooks 11, arranged adjacent to the lateral edges of the body portion or handle, are employed, and between said hooks is arranged a point or projection 12, which is adapted to engage the tongue 10 and bend the same around the runner, as shown clearly in Fig. 2.

From the above description it will be understood that the fence-building tool embodying my invention is adapted to form either of the common ties by which stays or pickets are secured to the runners of a wire fence, and as the construction is simple, and.

as there are no loose parts to become detached or lost, the device may be manufactured at a minimum amount of cost.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of theadvantages of this invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A fence-building tool, comprisinga bodyportion or handle provided at one end with a central integral spring hook having a contracted mouth or opening, and upstruck webs arranged upon opposite sides of said hook to engage the free ends of a tie-wire, and provided at the other end with twin lateralhooks and an intermediate point or projection to engage a tongue of a fence stay or picket, substantially as specified.

I o inghooks 11, and an intermediate point or projection 12 to engage an upstruok tongue of a picket or stay, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmysignature in the presence of two Witnesses.

SAMUEL W. HORST. Witnesses:

ARTHUR R. RUILEY, O. S. BRINTON. 

